Guinsa Temple Part 3

After short rest we headed on the routine. This was the time when I felt the power of writing a book about a country and it's people. Hyondok Sunim had brought us off the typical routine of bows and meditation but instead decided to show the space of work, whatever possible in that freezing cold Christmas Day. The sky was so blue on that day.

We were brought into the ladies work space. Like in CatholicChurch or any other traditional patriarchal system women take care for guys stuff, they make cloths, sew them, iron, wash, cook, whatever to deliver ready for the monks.

I was shown their work space where they prepare buddhist religious outfit. Several ladies where sitting in rather small room with the entrance straight from the cold. One of them was cutting pieces. Another one was steam ironing them so it would be easier to sew them. One of them was making trousers only, another one tops. It was visible that they like it. Their way of life, daily work routine. Among giggles and laughs they kept asking questions about our countries, religion, opinions. Every now and then they bursted with laugh after Sunim told stories on our difficult adjustment to the rythm of life in the temple.

An important holiday was approaching. For the celebration purposes, the entire Temple site had been decorated with lanterns which looked like chickens but supposed to be dragons. Temple itself is quite new and very nicely decorated in the mixture of patterns and fresquos with green, gold and red as dominant colors. People headed around us on their routine. Pilgrims arrived and departured. For them it is an equivalent of Lourdes or Fatima, or even Częstochowa. A pilgrimage place where quantities of people head for a moment of refreshment and try just to stop in their haste of life. Maybe pray for their children's successes, their lost love, maybe for better health?

What is strikingly common to see is the fact that Buddism as a religion is a female issue in Korea. There have been quantities of ajummas in a scope of age starting from 40 and up, crowded on narrow spaces and hardly any men present. Maybe 5 of them among hundreds of women? Common phenomenon for the whole world.

It reminds me of, what I thought was a nasty antifeministic comment at the time, words spoken by the local parish priest in Warsaw: "When a woman prays it's normal. A matter of fact. Her soul is emotional, tempts to mysticism. But when cold logic driven male brain prays it is precious. More valued than female prayer." I still remember how angry I was, but when I look at it, I must admit that it is so true. Men are stronger in driving for their goals, never blaim extra factors for their failures or successes and are hardly ever emotional. But this is what makes them successful, after all.

At the lunch time there was time for the  truth. Sleeping routine at the Temple was not for me. I cannot go to sleep at 8 pm for 2 hrs and later at 4:30 am for 2 hours. I was grey on my face and very very tired.

I will be back to Guinsa, Hyondok Sunim. Maybe I will be more tough?

The last part of the day was tea ceremony with a monk. He could not speak english, but I think he understood. He had driven our attention to the fact that Avatar movie had a lot of buddhist elements in it. My journalist self overcame a diplomat inside me when I asked:

- How is buddism related to Korean mindset and modern development? You said that everything is interconnected and hence we should be responsible for nature. But in this case why are Korean people so detached from it? Temple Sites are protected because it is cultural heritage, but if there is no cultural heritage but there is a mount which is home to rare species, it would be blown up with no hesitation? Centuries of buddhist belief did not leave a trace in Korean mindset?

Sunim, an ex journalist, responded:

- I am not smart enough to speak about politics.

Hmm. Indead. That was not a political question I think...

- But maybe he is? - and I show our host. The response from the monk in translation was:

- There are challenges in modern world, but you need to practise. If you practise it will be allright.

 If you practise it will be allright...

Perfect solution which every religion makes for a believer. But maybe there is something in it?

I must admit that the meditation in the small Dharma Hall brought me peace of mind which I had not experienced in more than a month before Christmas. Despite on the faith and religion, or lack of it, if you stop and ask yourself: Quo Vadis? Quo Vadis Humanae? Where do you go? Who are you? What are your dreams? What are your sins? What makes the sense of your life? it is more than beneficial. Guinsa Temple had given me that.

On the icy cold evening with snow crunching under our feet and millions of stars on the sky we headed home. There are no stars in Seoul. Lights of civilization had taken over too long ago.

Hyondok Sunim, I will be back one day.

Guinsa Temple, Christmas 2010

Guinsa Temple Part 2

After the dinner we were located in the pilgrims praying room in one of the floors in the main Dharma Hall building Our sunim had brought cloths for praying and walking around the complex, so those of us who did not feel warm enough, had put them on. Well, in the Temple or not, I do not fancy wearing something which covers me too much so I had the pants on only for the night.

The hall was full of women singing louder or more quiet main mantra of the Temple...or sutra...Byang Seum Bo Sal and so on like this on and on and on again. They were sitting in the lotus position or not, but as 2, 3 day pilgrims some of them, especially children, had given up on their buddhist duties and gradually fell asleep. To be frank, I made it up to 1 am on the prayers. Later we tried to get a nap, just like other ladies around us.

At 03:20 sharp we were told to appear in front of Dharma Hall. As we went out of our hot sleeping/praying place I saw millions of stars. Total silence surrounded us. Tree tops glisened in the misty light of stars and snow crunched under our feet. We followed monks inside the Temple...in the middle of the night voices of the lama started...what did they sing, what did they speak that I don't know yet. Not for me to comprehend with my limited Korean skills. Not yet.

After the celebration we went out. Our name cards remained inside on our seats. Someone prayed for us. Maybe for fortune or maybe for wisdom. Insight into the right steps. Who knows.

It was then under the stars of the provinsial Korean sky when I realised what I am actually doing. Why am I here and not on a couch in Warsaw. Why am I always on the go.

When I was a kid I read stories of a writer who created my favorite book character, so alive that I still can see how he looks like in front of my eyes. He was a young guy with special curiosity about the world. With his father and friends travelled across the globe to gather animals for Hagenbeck Zoo in Berlin. In one of the stories he goes to Tibet via Himalaya to rescue a friend and in search of gold. Snowblinded ends up in Lhasa Temple where lamas in the buddhist-lamaistic shrine take care of him. Soon after he joins their daily routine out of curiosity....

And it was me Tomek or Tomek me who joined lamas on the morning walk with their praying rosaries in hands. It was me Tomek or Tomek me who walked around the temple. The bells and the gongs made it even more magic. Was it Tibet 100 years ago or was it Guinsa in 21st century? I no longer knew. I knew that I was born to do just the same. Travel. Experience. Gather reality around me and share it with people. If I ever cried with relief it was then.

In an hour we were back in our hot sleeping place. Ladies in trans did not disturb me any longer. I have regained my curiosity of who they are and why they do what they do.

I have regained curiosity of what they do and why they do it...

Breakfast had given an answer to my questions regarding sunim. She shared the story of her life with us at that time. Used to be a tv and radio journalist in her previous life and a catholic converted into a buddhist at some point in her path. Found her sense and the meaning in serving the community. She may wear grey jacket and modest uniform but her energy of a reporter is still there. Once we have it we have it forever. That was the reason why I felt connection and why I knew instantly we would stay in touch.

To be continued....

Guinsa Temple Part 1

This Christmas happened to be spent at Guinsa Temple, where I decided to go in the very aim to perform perpetual state of motion, hence go. 

When 3 people travel, their personalities differ and they have to compose a society in it's mini scope for a given number of days or hours. It is a perfect school of tolerance and friendship. 3 of us, Polish, German... and not Russian ( like would be in that joke from past) but Lithuanian on the go. Louisa, not the fastest person in the world, but one of the smartest, Svajune, haste on going and punctual, and me, rather quiet on the journey, prepared trekker, and taking a lot of brain shortcuts which can have consequences at times. And it had during our preparations when I didn't tell Svajune beforehand that we are actually supposed to be ready for survival in terms of dressing and equipment. But, nevertheless Svajune is tough and made it in her own outfit. And even made a profit out of it, but let the story go as it goes...

We got off the bus in Korean equivalent of the middle of nowhere. Something simmilar Wild Wild West city in US countryside where both high tech and total bronze age meets in one spot. The bus ticket booth being both the kiosk for whatever needed with the ajoshi inside who looked at us like on the aliens. Prepared to speak my limited Korean I asked: Guinsa odiye isoyo. He looked at me again with bored sight of a man who had seen so many people and faces that I don't matter at all and shown the direction up and right.

Darkness around and reflections of street lights sparkling on the icy pavement up. By that time I got questions if we are at the right place and if we shouldn't go back to the bigger city and remarks that adventures in negative temperatures are not the best solution. Ignored them all: - Go. - said I. And headed upwards in the night full of stars.

I wish it was a longer walk. Surprisingly close I saw the complex of traditional roofs and new we are at the place. Svajune entered the office of the temple to ask... for two nights. Yes. Two nights.

An A4 size modest piece of paper at the door said in printed capitals: "For english speaking service please ask inside". In a moment cheering face of Svajune appeared back and said to us: - Wait 5 minutes
and an english speaking person will come to us.

It was a first time to get off my trekking shoes and not the last one. Inside there was a counter behind which I saw something like a combination of a theater closet and an office, just like a night watch would have his computer for whatever job. We waited on a heated floor.

- Welcome to Guinsa Temple! - a cry of energy greeted us from the right- I am Hyondok Synim and I shall be your guide from now on. Let's do the formalities.

We went through all sorts of questions from where we were and how we got there. Svajune brought her attention to Lithuania... - There was a man here, Justas, helped to make kimchi. He was from Lithuania too. Somehow I could not imagine my decadente friend Justinas making kimchi with ajummas, but an image of him with a cigar between his teeth and a blink above the pot of kimchi persecuted me in my brain and I bursted with laugh. Girls too. Mind reading?

Our nun was 50, fluent english speaker, with a height of mine and dark hair put in a tight not on the neck. Dark grey uniform, dark grey long coat and she would be alike thousand others if not for this amazing energy inside her which was glowing around the person. The way she moved and talked. The way she looked.

- Merry Christmas. Please feel welcome at our Temple and enjoy pace of time with us. There is only one God and only one good. Baby Jesus was born today and I want you to feel the athmosphere of Christmas even
when you are at buddist temple. - that came after asking us about religion. However tensed and complicated is my relation with God I don't deny Him so I admitted to be Roman Catholic. Not  for the first time I was wondering what story does "our" Hyondok Sunim carry on through her life. The  very moment I met her I knew she was not an usual person.

- You are very lucky. You arrived during the preparations for Buddha anniversary. There is also an ongoing month meditation going in our monastery, some of these people I will show you because of your book.
We followed her to the Dharma Hall passing all the impressive buildings. All of them full of concrete and Joson dynasty style assemblies in it's final touch. "Is Korean architecture really that homogenous and it does not differ from the corner to the corner?" again question in my brain. The answer to this question is one of the main purposes of my stay in Korea.

Nun brought us to the cafeteria looking like any other cafeteria. Full of women with children, and only 5 men. Gradually it went empty and we stayed alone. This is when she brought some friends with her. A young
one, and old one and a middle one. She put the cake in the middle and said. - You were brave during the meal (it was adressed to Louisa) so you deserve something sweet now. My young friend here has her
birthday. This is her mother. And this is my other friend - said she indicating at the old small lady with white hair. So silver that she must have been 90 by that time. Peace in her smiling eyes told that she has been through so much that she already aquired this absolute tolerance and acceptance for all phenomena in human beings. We went on chatting and asking questions. Now I think that the old lady was a guide for the young one in spiritual development. Her presence had not been merely of social manner.

To be continued...


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Practical information: bus to Guinsa goes from Dong Seoul terminal every hour or so.
Once in temple you aren't supposed to leave any food you are given.

Enjoy :)